Plantation Cistern

Plantation Cistern. . This small island of trees was a slave community on Recess Plantation, which bordered Laurel Hill Plantation. Called a hammock, it was a small area of high ground in a sea of wetland rice fields. The round brick structure, just ahead in the woods, was a cistern that stored drinking water and perishable foods. The cistern was needed because well water in the area often was unfit to drink. Rainwater probably was collected from the roofs of six slave’s quarters and funneled into the brick lined reservoir. The cistern was about seven feet deep. A wooden lid kept out animals and debris., Explore Recess Hammock , Look for Chinese parasol trees with pale green trunks and 5-lobed leaves. The Asian trees were planted for shade on Low Country plantations. Notice periwinkle, a purple-flowered vine once cultivated as groundcover. Watch and listen for birds , warblers, thrushes, wrens and sparrows , that nest and feed in the hammock’s mature hardwoods., (caption) , Rainwater was collected at slave quarters and funneled to the cistern.